Network Rail overhauls its snow ploughs

18 Feb Network Rail is refurbishing its snow ploughs for the first time in 20 years.

The £1.7m fleet refurbishment programme ‘goes beyond business-as-usual maintenance’, Network Rail said, as it is overhauling and modernising the ploughs to the highest specifications.

The work will ensure the snow ploughs maintain and improve their effectiveness for the next 15 to 20 years.

Following a competitive tender, Network Rail selected Loram UK as its delivery partner to carry out the overhauls and reengineering at the rail fleet specialist’s Derby facility.

Network Rail’s 12 pairs of Independent snow ploughs, which can plough snow up to a depth of eight feet (2.4 metres), are being refurbished one pair at a time, with four pairs completed so far. Overhauls of the Independent ploughs started in January 2018 and are expected to last for at least a further 12 months.

A programme to overhaul Network Rail's Bielhack ploughs will begin later this year.